Click on an image to view sample clips:
Live Performances and Interviews
3-D Biomechanic Animation
User Selectable camera angles
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The
Art of the Bow DVD
___________________________
The Art of the Bow project
is the first in-depth pedagogical study of a major
concert artist utilizing state-of-the-art technology.
While past research has been limited to commentary
enhanced with print illustrations or single camera
video, The Art of the Bow employs multiple camera
angles, biomechanics, and the technology of motion
capture to offer the most complete picture of the
elusive art of bow control currently possible.
This project represents a milestone giving string
players a rare glimpse into the subtle art of
Rabbath's bow technique.The first portion of the DVD
is comprised of four sections; Essentials, The Bow
Arm, Lessons, and Interviews. Essentials is concerned
with the basics of posture and issues regarding the
tools of the bow, including bow weight, balance, and
tension. The Bow Arm outlines the basic principles of
Rabbath’s bow technique including arm, hand, and
wrist motions. This section also introduces the first
bow stroke, the son premier, on which all other bow
strokes are based. In Lessons Rabbath teaches the
beginning bow motion to a student with no previous
musical experience and demonstrates how to check your
own basic bow stroke. The final section, Interviews,
features over forty minutes of Rabbath’s thoughts on
teaching, practice, and performance. Each interview
section is separated by a live performance interlude
from his 2002 concert in Lille, France.
The second portion of the DVD serves as an in-depth
study of Rabbath’s Seven Families of Bow Strokes
divided into two sections, multiple angles and
biomechanics. The multiple angle portion features a
brief description and demonstration of each stroke
and its variations with four camera angles. By using
the Angle Button on your DVD remote control or
computer screen, you may access any one of the four
angles during the demonstrations when they are
available. Most DVD players will show a multiple
angle icon on the screen when it is possible to
switch between angles. The view will revert to the
lecture angle once the multiple angle clip is
finished. By leaving the button set to a chosen
angle, that angle will be seen every time a multiple
angle shot reappears. Live performance footage
demonstrating each stroke appears between each of the
families.Biomechanics, A Silent Motion Study offers
the viewers the opportunity to “play along” with
Rabbath and work on mastering the motion of each
stroke. Captured at 150 frames per second, Rabbath
again demonstrates the seven families of bow strokes
and their variations. Due to the high memory
requirements, only a brief example of each stroke is
captured. Since the example of each stroke is so
brief, the examples have been looped in a regular a
rhythm to create longer segments. It should be noted
that a completely smooth loop is not possible, as
each stroke does not necessarily end exactly where it
began. The four more complicated strokes, son
premier, portato, sautille, and repeated down and up,
are studied in more depth and looped with numerous
animated variations derived from the original
footage. The remaining three families, staccato,
retake, and artificial harmonics, are looped in three
perspectives.
Download Press Kit of AOB
here.